Village Voice: March 2019

Scams

I have been made aware of at least 2 Residents who have had their bank accounts emptied from a telephone / computer scam. The criminals who instigate these scams are very believable, they are often female, sound Australian, appear warm and professional over the phone. They may even offer to transfer you to a Manager or have their Manager call you back just to reassure you. If anyone ever calls you and asks for the following information, you should consider that it is probably a scam.

Asking you to “confirm” personal information such as date of birth, driver’s licence or medicare number.

Asking you to access to your computer “just to check” that you haven’t been subject to suspicious activity.

Asking you to put a password into anything on your computer while you are on the phone to them.

Saying there has been ‘suspicious activity’ on your credit card and asking you to confirm the card number or expiry date.

Asking you to send iTunes or gift cards as payment.

Claiming to be the tax office about an overdue payment or refund you are due.

Claiming you could be arrested if you don’t pay an overdue bill or fine.

If you are worried that there may be something wrong with
your credit card, there is always a proper bank telephone number on the back of
the card. You should hang up from the scammer and ring the bank using their number
to enquire.

A Bank, Local Council, South East Water or Telephone
companies will not ever call you just to confirm your details.

If you do receive a call, just hang up. People who argue
with them or yell at them have been known to experience multiple calls or calls
through the night.

The NBN installation is happening in our area and we know
that scammers target rollout areas. There were only 4 Residents in the Village
not on the Village telephone system and they have all received letters from
Cheryl. Everyone else living in the Village is not affected by the NBN rollout
and should regard anyone ringing about the NBN and advising your phone is about
to be cut off as a probable scammer and hang up.

If you are worried that the caller may be genuine and want
to check, find out which company they are from and then hang up. Look up the
company’s proper telephone number in the whitepages (this is available online
or on paper) and call them directly. Do not use the number that the potential
scammer gives you. If you can’t find the number, please ask your Hostess to
help you look up the right number to call.